1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to log cabin construction and in particular to a natural log cabin constructed with an interior insulation and structural support space formed by vertically aligned cut outs in each of the stacked logs wherein wiring and piping may be located as well as insulation and structural elements including a spaced vertical array of interior metal posts with threaded adjustment rods at each end to bind together all of the logs in a wall to insure structural integrity and to eliminate spaces between logs.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Log cabins are part of the American tradition. The look and feel of houses built of whole logs has great appeal. Current trends in regulations for required insulation R values in building codes are making it necessary to provide added insulation to a log cabin to meet building code specifications in order to build the log cabin at all. Many prior art solutions to the insulation problem destroy the appearance of a natural log cabin and do not resemble the traditional log cabin with natural horizontally oriented logs stacked in vertical arrays to form the walls with the natural logs exposed on both the exterior and interior walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,263, issued Aug. 17, 1982 to Farmont, puts forth a wood log of substantial thickness and having flat top and bottom surfaces interrupted by complementary tongues and grooves along the length thereof. One or more slots open from at least one of the surfaces with the total slot depth extending over all but a small portion of the top to bottom thickness of the log. The slots are filled with an insulating material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,838, issued Nov. 23, 1976 to Vizziello, concerns a building construction element in the form of an insulated wood log with flat planed upper and lower surfaces, a longitudinally extending groove being cut into each surface to a depth about half the thickness of the log, the grooves being on opposite sides of the vertical medial plane of the log, and each groove being filled with a foamed plastic mass having thermal insulating properties substantially equivalent to those of polyurethane plastics.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,257, issued Mar. 9, 1982 to Smith, provides a building structure made from wooden logs with gaps between the logs for receiving insulation. The gaps are formed between the stacked logs by driving sharpened spikes into oppositely facing logs so that the opposing sharpened tips of the spikes penetrate the logs and secure a fixed distance between such logs. Two spikes are normally aligned with one another and respectively driven near the inner and outer walls of the log structure. Each spike has a hole drilled there through for receiving a screw-like rod interconnecting the two spikes and supporting various building items such as a wire mesh screen for receiving plaster, a vapor barrier and inside panels. Furthermore, insulation is provided between the two logs so that the thermal resistance of the overall building structure is greater than a building structure which would use logs alone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,520, issued Nov. 18, 1997 to Stranahan et al., shows a sealing system designed for use in buildings having log construction. The system makes use of horizontally-oriented channels that are located along the top and bottom face of each log. After the building has been assembled, vertically-oriented bores are drilled into each course of logs. The bore is located so that they interconnect a horizontal channel. Once the bore has been drilled, a liquid sealing material such as caulking is pumped into the bore where it then flows into and fills the horizontal channel.
U.S. Patent application #US20100043323A1, published Feb. 25, 2010 by Wrightman, shows a log for a log home having a plurality of pockets formed within the body of the log. The pockets are filled with foam to enhance the thermal rating of the log.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,426, issued Jan. 26, 1943 to Williams, describes a log type building structure have an outside stacked array of half rounded logs facing out and an inside stacked array of half rounded logs facing in, both attached to a support structure with a space between for insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,351, issued Nov. 2, 2010 to Tiberi et al., indicates a stackable insulated unit for wall construction for forming a self-supporting wall structure consisting of two side wooden planks spaced apart and secured to one another with an intermediate insulating layer bonded thereto, and a plurality of stud longitudinal sections transversely extending through the insulating layer and being secured thereby. The insulating layer ensures structural integrity of the stackable unit. The stud sections are preferably spaced from at least one of the side planks. The invention also includes the method of fabrication of stackable unit.
U.S. Patent application #20080083177, published Apr. 10, 2008 by Tiberi et al., describes a stackable insulated unit for wall construction for forming a self-supporting wall structure consists of two side wooden planks spaced apart and secured to one another with an intermediate insulating layer bonded thereto, and a plurality of stud longitudinal sections transversely extending through the insulating layer and being secured thereby. The insulating layer ensures structural integrity of the stackable unit. The stud sections are preferably spaced from at least one of the side planks. The invention also includes the method of fabrication of stackable unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,000, issued Apr. 3, 1979 to Lewandowski, claims an insulated log building structure comprising two parallel, vertically extending log walls having an insulative layer of foam plastic disposed therebetween. Each of the walls are formed of horizontally extending logs mounted vertically upon one another in a tongue and groove relationship. A layer of fiberglass insulation may be disposed between the tongues and grooves of contacting logs to insulatively seal the joints. Vertically extending tie rods within vertically aligned apertures of the logs making up the walls hold the two log walls in parallel alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,357, issued Nov. 26, 1996 to Civelli, discloses a system of and manner for applying half log siding to a pre-constructed wall with the use of a separate piece of interlocking material. Having a specific shape, this interlocking piece allows for easy assembly and will securely hold the bottoms and tops of the positioned half logs to the wall. This assembly is repeated up the wall until the desired amount of wall is covered with the siding. This separate interlocking piece is capable of being fastened to a wall constructed of any building material while remaining hidden within the completed assembly. The final appearance of the siding gives the illusion of full logs, the drawbacks related with their construction and settling is not experienced.
What is needed is a natural log cabin built of natural logs with the interior of the logs being insulated and the insulation not visible so that only the natural logs are exposed on the exterior and interior walls, yet the building requirement insulation values are met.